Clifton Pointe Phase 1 sold out; Phase 2 sales going quickly

Workers continue on Clifton Pointe Phase 1, which is expected to be ready for residents in late summer. (West Life photo by Sue Botos)

Westshore

By Sue Botos

Ground has not been broken yet for Phase 2 of Clifton Pointe, a $10 million townhome community off Sloane Avenue in Lakewood’s West End neighborhood. But that fact has not stopped potential homeowners from snapping up units.

“This is unbelievable. We already have contracts for four of the five units,” commented Andrew Brickman, managing director for Abode Modern Lifestyle Developers. He told West Life that Abode has recently finalized the sale of the last of 17 residences in Phase 1, which began construction in June.

Phase 1 is being constructed on a bluff overlooking the Rocky River and Lake Erie, which was formerly the site of three homes, valued at about $150,000 to $160,000. The former Irish Cottage gift shop will be razed to make way for Phase 2, which will break ground as soon as weather permits, according to Brickman. He added that the first residents of the initial building are expected to move in late summer.

Clifton Pointe, designed by Lakewood’s Dimit Architects, will be the city’s only development offering a 10-year, 100-percent tax abatement.

Brickman emphasized that the convenience and location of the units, which run between $379,000 and $799,000, are an enticement to homeowners who may otherwise consider moving out of the area. “Living in an inner ring suburb is more humanizing than living in a subdivision with cookie-cutter houses,” Brickman commented.

This thought was echoed by Phase 1 resident Toni Donoghue. “It (Clifton Pointe) has definitely made us more content to keep Cleveland as our primary residence. Keeping people in the Cleveland area is not an easy feat but Clifton Pointe has done that for us,” she said in a statement.

Two other Abode projects, Eleven River, just across the Rocky River, and Little Italy’s 27 Coltman, have been “incredibly well-received in what is still a difficult real estate climate,” Brickman added. He said that nine of the Eleven River units have sold. “Real estate is coming back from five years ago. There’s a pent-up demand for this kind of housing,” Brickman noted.

As with Eleven River, the units will be three to four stories with a private rooftop deck. The 1,600 to 3,000 square feet can be customized by each homeowner.

Another part of that success, he added, is due to “no-maintenance” living and close proximity to activities. “In a subdivision, you drive from your office to your garage. Here, you can walk to restaurants, shopping and the (Metro)parks,” he said.

Eco-friendliness is an Abode signature, and Clifton Pointe will not be an exception. An on-site comprehensive recycling program is collecting reusable building materials from its construction. Insulation, concrete and siding will be made from recycled products, and every attempt will be made to conserve existing trees on the site.

The townhomes will also be fitted with “smart home” technology, allowing residents to control lighting, home theater, music, temperature and security while reducing utility costs and energy consumption.

Next up for Brickman is River South, a 23-townhome project planned for the site of the Mandley-Vetrovsky Funeral Home on Lorain Road in Fairview Park. The developer persuaded the Cleveland Metroparks board of commissioners to modify an easement on the property after it was discovered that the project encroached upon the easement.